Created as a ‘medicine’ for those who feel misunderstood and discouraged, for anyone who faces heartbreak and grief, for anyone who is tired of pursuing their dreams, for those who are lonely or homesick and craving some love, affection, touch and care, for those just trying to face another day.
Titled ‘I Wanted to Quit Too’, the collection featuring stories from a range of voices that cross generations, through different cultures, lifestyles and life experiences, some familiar, others being heard for the first time, these stories explore the exceptional essence of wanting to give up and the true power and magic in never doing so.
Split into five parts – Health, Hustle, Help, Hope and Healing – and featuring exclusive poetry throughout from award-winning creative, Manawer, this ground-breaking anthology includes short stories and conversations from global household names and hometown heroes including photographer Greg Williams, actress Courteney Cox, actors Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Jay Ellis, YouTuber KSI, rugby union player Maro Itoje, singer-songwriter Sinéad Harnett, amongst many others.
Hussain Manawer was born and raised in London’s East End. It was here Hussain found his love for the poetic arts. At 15, he found fascination with Rap, Music, Poetry and Spoken-Word. This fierce passion has continued into adulthood with the poet constantly searching for understanding of humankind, whether across borders or life within.
More than a decade later, his debut collection, Life Is Sad And Beautiful, entered The Sunday Times chart upon release, sitting there for two consecutive weeks. The collection sold more than 10,000 copies within the first few months, making him the first British Pakistani Poet to hold such a position.
Life Is Sad And Beautiful has since been adopted in the UK’s Key Stage 3 and 4 National Curriculum.
His unique style of poetic storytelling blends a fusion of dynamic life experiences, pain, humour, heartbreak and music, finding him on a variety of stages including Glastonbury.
High profile collaborations include featuring alongside Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry in their latest docu-series, The Me You Can’t See, and special commissions include The Royal Family, BAFTA, Burberry, Google, The Royal College of Psychiatrists and others.
Having reached millions of people online with his raw emotive pieces expressing grief, loss and an attempt to build a life after loss, he used his reach to create an entirely new Guinness World Record for The World’s Largest Mental Health Lesson; alongside Professor Dame Til Wykes, King’s College London and the Hackney Empire in 2017.
In 2018, Prime Minister Theresa May went on to award him the Point of Light award, recognising his outstanding efforts in helping the country’s mental health crisis. He was also awarded an Honorary Fellowship of King’s College London in 2018.
I Wanted to Quit Too is published by Catalyst in hardcover on 23rd May priced at £16.99.
